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Hold on. Hot? There's something wrong. Snash and The Band don't have any hot chicks on the front line. Would they have invited anyone to play with them tonight?
I go down the page a little more and find a publication of the vocalist:
Snash: Friends, I’m saying goodbye to AD. On my way to India to find my inner balance and peace.
Oh, fuck! We lost the band’s lead singer and Rafe didn't even call me? And who's the hot chick who was singing instead? I immediately take the phone to call Rafe and see five unread text messages:
Rafe: Dude, call me. Problems.
Rafe: Danny, I'm going to have to take extreme action. Snash pulled out of the show at the last minute. Call me!
Rafe: Call me, DAMN IT!!
Rafe: Fuck it. When you guys come back we level it up. You’re going to lose it but I had no other option. I found a replacement for that SOB, Snash.
Rafe: I’m the man. Full house. What an achievement. You guys should stay there because I manage this place better if you keep away. :D
Now I’m curious. I wonder who he booked.
There’s a link in the bar timeline that draws my attention. “Juliette & The Band singing Fever at After Dark.” Excellent, someone recorded the new band’s show.
The video is not that good, it seems to have been done with a smartphone. The person that made the footage was very close to the stage. It zooms on that idiot Alan who’s the first to sing. He is unfortunately an idiot I have to bear with, despite acting like an asshole, constantly throwing charm at the fans and always taking one of them to the dressing room. How can someone believe that an asshole with such hair has fans?
The video carries on until a female, hoarse and sensual voice begins to sing. The camera turns towards her and... Holy shit! A beautiful, hot and sensual blond is (with) her eyes closed, swaying her body to the rhythm of the song as she sings.
I feel a shiver go through my spine and the excitement taking over. I haven't felt this way in a long time. I don't even know if I've ever felt this way. Actually, yes, but I had to smother it. It would never work. Of course I've had many liaisons, I go out with a lot of beautiful women, but this kind of lust, one that leaves a knot in the stomach and seems to have knocked me right in the chest, is rarer. The feeling I have is that she's singing just for me. I'm sure every man at the bar tonight felt the same way. The song carries on and while the blond sings the sensual song in a duet with that jerk Alan, I can't help myself and imagine the things that mouth should be able to do.
I keep staring at the screen and frown. She seems vaguely familiar to me. Would she have been at the bar before? I don't think so. I would never forget seeing a woman like her. The blond continues to sing, with her eyes closed and a little smirk on her face, pouring her sensuality in a subtle way, almost as if unaware of what she can arouse in men.
The music comes to a close and so does the video. Now, besides being tired, I'm excited and bothered. I get up from the chair, take off my pants and go to the bathroom. Now, more than ever, I need a bath. Cold, preferably.
Chapter six
Julie
Sunday arrives and I wake up feeling happy in a way I haven’t been in a long time. There’s a mix of excitement for the epic show and the feeling of a real good night sleep, in spite of missing the naughty boy from the house next door.
I sit on the bed, stretch my body, and hear the message tone on my mobile.
Daniel: Good morning, Ju. Did things go well last night at AD?
Oh, damn it! And now? I’ll have to act silly so that he doesn’t suspect anything.
I:Hi, Danny. All good and you? The venue was pretty full. When are you coming back? Kiss
Daniel: Saturday. Kiss
Men are so thrifty with words... Phew! Fortunately! I got away with this one!
Just in tandem another message comes through. Oh, God!
George: Little girl, I’ll be there in 15 to take you shopping. Be ready. You’re not allowed to wear leggings. XXXX (Kisses) from your personal stylist, best friend and producer.
All men are thrifty with words, not George. I stand up and run to the bathroom as I type the answer.
I:Okay. Can I put on the yoga pants? ;D
George: Nooooooooooooooooooo :@ :@
I:What are those :@?
George: My angry face for your lack of style, sweetheart. MOVE OOOON!
I laugh and get in the shower fast, because I know he's probably knocking on the door in a little while.
***
"At last you dropped those hideous clothes you used to wear, huh?”
George speaks, glancing at me from head to toe with contempt.
He's absolutely right, but I can't help but pick on him.
"Friend, but it's so comfortable...”
George seems to shoot me with his eyes.
"If you went through one of those transformation programs, like a Fashion Squad, you'd be humiliated on national television in all those horrible clothes.
"Julie, how do you want to make out with Hot Alan dressed like that?” Jo asks me, very serious.
I let go of a laugh in the middle of the mall.
"Does he go by a new nickname now? Who says I want to make out with Alan?”
"Little girl, if you don't go for him, I'll slap your face! He's going mad, freaking crazy to play guitar on your seductive body.”
George moves his hands, as if describing a body in the form of a musical instrument. I roll my eyes.
"For God's sake, George! You sometimes vent out such goofy stuff! He doesn't want to touch anything. That was just a stage scene!”
George's mouth opens like I told him there's no Santa Claus.
"What?! You really think that was a stage scene? My dear, I know the look of a male very well when he’s getting ready to take his prey. Hot Alan wants you bad and you should want him too, because he's soooo hot!”
"But, George...”
"If you come up with the story that you love Danny Boy, I won't listen anymore.
Little girl, you know that I love you. I really wish, from the bottom of my heart, that you would come right with that idiot.” He turns to Jo with an expression of sorrow and squeezes her hand lightly. "No offense, dear.” Jo nods, as if she agreed that her brother is really an idiot. Geoge turns to me and proceeds with his enthusiastic speech. "He's hot, I’ll give you that. But, as an idiot, he scores top marks on a scale of one to five. You've been in love with him for yeaaarss and he doesn't give a damn about you. He can't even see how much you've grown. You need to get someone. Hit the road before you get old, crazy and surrounded by cats!”
"Not full of cats, full of books," I answer, sulking.
"Girlfriend, George is right. You deserve to find someone to love you. I really wanted it to be my brother, but after all this time...”
I hear the words of my two best friends and my eyes fill up with tears.
I know they're right. I just think it's so unfair. My life was anything but easy... As much as the Stewarts may have given me all the love in the world, losing both parents at the same time is a pain that will never heal in my heart. Though I never complained, moaned or played a victim. I accepted my fate and tried to do everything I could to be happy. The only thing I wanted was the opportunity to show Danny how much I love him.
I keep thinking about last night. I fulfilled my dream of singing. I felt great on stage. I felt alive. Beautiful. Wanted. I remember the rules I set for myself. I close my eyes, take a deep breath and make a decision.
"George? Jo?”
"Yes, little girl.”
"Let's go shopping. It’s time I become a new woman. If, with my new look, I can't get Danny to wake up, at least I’ll get a boyfriend. I don't want to become a crazy old woman, alone and full of cats.”
“Now you’re talking!” George claps while he speaks. "Are you going to play with Alan's guitar?”
Jo and I burst into laughter. George knows how to cheer us up.
***
The day goes by and George takes us to several different stores. I can't take it anymore. We've bought shorts, blouses and dresses —lots of dresses. He decided that my show look will consist exclusively of items that leave my legs out. Now I have an astonishing amount of ballad dresses, glittering skirts and low-cut blouses. They match shoes so high that if I lose balance and fall, I run the risk of breaking my neck.
"Come on, pussycats. Let's go into this one”, he says, pulling me toward a store. I look up and get stunned to see the sign of a famous lingerie store.
"Friend, what are we going to buy here?”
"Definitely not bread! You need a lingerie that will pick you up.”
Jo looks scared. She's been acting weird. She’s always distracted, and spends all the time exchanging text I just don't know who with.
“Guys, I'm going to pop in quickly to the leather bag store on the second floor. I need to buy a new briefcase.”
"Go, my darling. Anything, just call.”
"But, George...” I am interrupted by the saleswoman who comes close and offers help.
Obviously, George takes over and parts the sexiest pieces from the store. I frown on every item he picks up. I'm not used to so much lace.
An attendant serves us candy and prosecco. We make our toast, and I take my mind off and eat while George seems to be on a war mission.
Forty minutes and a few glasses later, I'm pushed into a fitting room with a pile of panties, bras, corsets and other pieces I don't even know what they're for.
I start trying them out, and the prosecco gets to me, leading me to do a parade in the fitting room. George goes on indicating to the saleswoman the pieces he approves so she can separate them. If we were at Victoria's Secret, I'd say I felt like an Angel so much that I shook my butt back and forth.
While I take a look at a corset, George mutters something to the saleswoman, who returns a few minutes later with a pile of sweaters and babydolls.
“I don’t need pajamas, George!”
“Of course not.” That’s not pajamas. You're going to throw away those garbage you sleep with and start sleeping like a diva.
Immediately, I remember the countless times Daniel showed up at the house first thing in the morning for coffee and I was wearing one of my cartoon T-shirts.
I break into a smile as I picture his face when he sees me in a black sweater like that.
I tried all the pieces and bought things that, if it wasn't for prosecco, I would never have agreed to try. I'm not much of a drinker because, with my size, anything knocks me down. However, the drink makes my head lighter and, apparently, my hand much more open as my credit card can tell!
"George?”
"What is it, little girl?”
“I'm drunk. I need to eat something.”
George laughs and takes me to a restaurant in the food court. As we sit down, he calls Jo.
“Where did this girl end up? We spent two hours buying lingerie, long enough for you to get drunk, and she's still picking out a briefcase?”
"She's been weird...”, I say it with a little smile on my face.
"She’s not picking up. I'm going to text her.”
I stretch my neck to see George type:
George: Beloved, where are you? We're at that restaurant you love. Julie's drunk on prosecco and needs to eat something before she devours the hot waiter attending us. <3 ;)
Damn it! Did he notice I'm drooling over the waiter who came to serve us water? I look again at the cellphone screen and smile at the many happy faces in the message. I love getting messages from George. They're always full of fun stickers and emojis.
A shadow draws close to me. I look up and I see the hot waiter. Yummy yummy.
We're almost halfway through lunch - and I'm already much less affected by the drink - when Jo arrives with a guilty face.
"Friend, where were you? You missed all the fun!”
"I went to the bank," she looks away as she speaks, as if she were... embarrassed. George doesn't let go.
"Jo, my angel, three and a half hours to go to the bank? You walked out the door of the lingerie store saying you were going to buy a briefcase and you come back saying you were at the bank. You went to dance the Macarena on the manager's desk?”
I spit some of the soda on George. It's really funny to imagine Jo, a very serious lawyer, dancing like Psy on a table.
"Argh, Julie. Not again!
"I'm sorry," I say, wiping it with the napkin. "But it's your fault, you say these things while I'm drinking.
Jo's still quiet, looking at the menu. George and I exchange glances.
"Aren't you going to tell us what's going on, Jo?” George sniffs. "I thought we were best friends. I really feel so devastated by your attitude. Julie and I tell you everything, and what do you give back in return?” He looks at me and takes his hand to his chest before looking back at her. "You ignore us and push us away from your life. It's too much for a poor heart, you know?”
